Friday Favorites: Packing

So, today is a busy day. This is the day before our week long vacation to Port Aransas!!! We have taken trips to Port Aransas almost every year since 2005, when Vic and I started dating. We have gone with some of his childhood friends. Now, as the years have gone by, we have all gotten engaged, married, and had kids. I think we missed one year that everyone was too busy and pregnant. But, otherwise, it is something we always look forward to. Port Aransas is a neat little town and when you go when kids are back in school, it is even calmer and less crowded. Last year, we went in September. This year we are going this week! We are missing our friends, Todd & Emily, and their kiddos (now at 3!) because they are moving and settling into a new home. But, Joe, Cassie and Wesley and Mandee, Derek, Beck & Ben and our little family will all go for the week. We will probably get to have some additional visitors as well if they can get off work to come by.

So, today I pack. I enjoy packing and unpacking. I enjoy unpacking more, but as long as I have good lists and plenty of time, I like to pack. With kids, you need a lot of stuff and lot of backup stuff. I am better than I used to be and do not overpack quite as much, but we still need lots of stuff. Clothes, diapers, beds, toys depending on age (jumperoo for Grace; colors/toys/coloring books/trucks/dvd's for atticus;) swim gear (floaties, towels, suits, sunscreen, etc.) plus mine and Vic's clothes. Then, we bring lots of snacks and food to prepare while we are there because it is sometimes just as fun and way easier to just eat at the condo.

Anyways, we are excited. Vic is coming home early today; we have dinner with our neighbors tonight and then we are leaving at 9am tomorrow morning. In the meantime, I am packing us and being as organized as possible. We are making a pit stop in OG for Granny Irene's 90th Birthday Party on Saturday night, so I am trying to keep us from unpacking everything for one night and making separate bags. And so many to do lists. But, I love to do lists. They are so much fun to make and then to cross off!

I must also mention how much I love unpacking. Before we leave our destination to head home, I try to make it easy for myself. I separate all of the dirty clothes, organize all of our leftover belongings, throw out anything we have accumulated (fruit snack wrappers, etc.). Then, when we get home, I like to unload everything and put it away immediately. There is not a better feeling than immediately washing, drying, and putting away clothes and unloading every bag and every suitcase so that you can rest easy that night and wake up ready to go the next day. If I leave things unpacked, they are likely to sit there a week before I mess with them again.

And do you know what is EVEN BETTER than just being efficient with packing and unpacking? Doing it all with a clean house. Earlier this week, I cleaned every room - dust, vacuum, mop, sweep, move furniture, do laundry, clean bathrooms, etc. So, I do not have that looming when I get home either.

I do love some organizing...which reminds me that earlier this week I really wanted The Container Store in College Station to go shop. I am needing a trip this fall. I love that place. I could spend a fortune. I bet I could even find better ways to organize my packing for trips.

Have a good day everyone! Oh and here is a picture to show you how I started my packing. In this picture, I take everything on my list and dump it on the bed in the guest room. Then, I continue to organize and put into suitcases all at once. No running back and forth or forgetting something in the suitcase and having to carry extra bags just for those items. Efficiency. Organization. It's like I'm a mom or something.